Concrete retaining walls in Kalispell MT - a wall that drains and holds the slope
A slope that's sliding or an old wall that's leaning and leaking? We build a drained concrete wall sized for your ground.
- Drainage built in We put drain stone, fabric and outlets in behind the wall.
- Sized from a design Footing, steel and depth come from your site, not just height.
- Poured when conditions allow We'd rather move a date than pour in the wrong weather.
- Costs explained up front You'll know what the wall and drainage cost before we start.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
How do you know your retaining wall or slope needs work?
A slope or wall usually shows trouble well before it gives way, and catching it early often means a smaller job than one that's taken a winter of water and frost.
Wall leaning out at the top
If the top tips toward you, the soil behind it is pushing harder than the wall can take, usually because water has built up. It won't straighten itself back.
Water seeping through the face
Wet streaks or white crust on the face mean water is getting through the wall instead of out the drains. That water freezes in winter and keeps opening things up.
Chipping and cracks in the concrete
Flaking corners and cracks that widen each spring let more water in. Every freeze makes them a little bigger, until chunks start coming off and the steel inside rusts.
Dirt sliding onto the yard
A bank that drops soil onto your lawn, patio or driveway after rain or a thaw is moving. Left alone, it keeps creeping and takes your plantings with it.
No drain outlets, or plugged ones
If you can't find outlets near the bottom of the wall, or the ones there are plugged with dirt, the water behind it has nowhere to go but through.
A gap opening at the base
Soil washing out from under the bottom of the wall leaves it standing on less than it was built for. Wait on it and the wall can start to tip.
How we build concrete retaining walls that drain
When you call about a concrete retaining wall in Kalispell, I start with the ground and the water, not the height. I look at what the soil is like, where the runoff goes and what sits above the slope, and we size the wall from a proper design for your site, because it has to carry that push of dirt for as long as it stands. Then our crew digs out and forms the footing, the wide base the wall stands on, sets the rebar, the steel that holds the wall together under load, and pours. Behind the wall we build in drain stone, filter fabric and outlets before we backfill, because water trapped back there is what does the damage, and we shape the ground on top so water runs away from the wall. That drainage is buried on day one, so it's the first thing people want to cut from a budget, and it's the last thing I'll cut. What moves the price is the length and height, the ground under the wall and how much digging and drainage it takes, and the schedule turns on the design, the city's review and the weather. Your written estimate is where you see your own figure.
A wall usually goes in to make room for something flat. If you're cutting a level spot for a pool, we can pour the concrete pool decks on the ground the wall holds, and if the wall is part of digging a shop or walkout into a hillside, our concrete floor installation covers the slab inside. Planning them together keeps the water from one from ending up against the other.
What happens when you call about a retaining wall in Kalispell?
From the first call to the last cleanup, here's how a wall job runs and who handles each part of it.
Call or send the form
Call (406) 309-7887 or send the form, and I come out, walk the slope with you, look at the ground and see where the water runs.
Get a written estimate
I measure, then send a written estimate covering the wall, footing and drainage, so you know what you're paying for before we start.
Check permits, set a pour date
Kalispell lists 2 to 3 weeks for residential plan review from a complete submittal, so we plan the pour date around that and the weather.
Build, clean up, walk through
Our crew forms, pours and backfills the wall, then we clean up and walk the finished wall and its drain outlets with you.
Why Kalispell homeowners call Trueline Kalispell Concrete
The owner writes your estimate
I come out, measure and write your estimate myself, and our own crew builds the wall with me on site.
Our own business since 2017
I started this business in 2017 after years on other crews, and I first learned concrete pouring pads on a family farm.
Licensed and insured for your job
We're licensed and insured, so the crew digging into your slope is covered while the work is underway.
Based in Kalispell, working nearby
We're based in Kalispell and build across Evergreen, Whitefish, Bigfork, Columbia Falls and nearby cities. Call (406) 309-7887 to set up a visit.
Get a written estimate for your retaining wall
Tell us where the wall goes, its rough length and height, and any driveway or building near it, plus photos of the slope. We reply within one business day, then I come out for a free estimate with no obligation.
Retaining walls up close
Look through these examples of concrete retaining walls and the drainage and finish work that goes with them.
Retaining wall questions, answered
These are the questions people around Kalispell ask before they build a retaining wall. If yours isn't here, call or send the form and ask about your own slope.
Is wall height enough to size a concrete retaining wall?
No, height alone isn't enough to plan a retaining wall. The footing size, the steel, how deep the wall is buried, the drainage and what's assumed about the soil should come from the project design or the code that applies. Two walls the same height on different ground can need very different footings.
What causes a concrete retaining wall to fail?
Water trapped behind it is the usual cause, because that pressure can greatly increase the load on the wall and lead to leaks or freeze damage. A wall built right can still fail later if the backfill, the soil behind it, gets changed, a driveway goes in nearby or water is allowed to build up. Keeping the drain outlets clear is the part that falls to you once it's built.
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost in Kalispell?
A concrete retaining wall's cost comes down to its length and height, the design and drainage it needs, and the ground it sits on. Engineering guidance says a standard cantilever wall, the kind with an L-shaped footing, suits ground that bears weight well, while weak or settling ground may call for piles, which are deep supports, or soil improvement, and piles raise the cost a good deal. I measure, look at the ground and send a written estimate so you see your own figure.
Can you pour a concrete retaining wall in cold weather in Montana?
Yes, a wall can be poured in the cold if it's planned for. Concrete guidance treats it as cold weather once the air drops, or is expected to drop, below 40°F during the protection period, the stretch after the pour when fresh concrete is kept covered and warm, and concrete poured then still gains enough strength when it's properly mixed, placed and protected. So a cold-season pour needs a protection plan, and when conditions are wrong for it, I'd rather move the date.
How do I make a concrete retaining wall hold up to freeze and thaw?
Ask about entrained air, the main defense against freeze and thaw damage. It's a network of round air pockets in the concrete, sized and spaced to relieve pressure inside it. Federal highway guidance puts walls with one side exposed to moisture in a severe freeze and thaw class, and concrete that also meets deicing chemicals in a very severe one.
Does a concrete contractor need a license in Montana?
Yes, every construction contractor in Montana now has to be licensed with the Montana Department of Labor & Industry. The state's Licensee Lookup System is the main place to check a license, so it's worth looking up anyone before you hire, us included.
Building in Kalispell and nearby
Inside city limits, the City of Kalispell's Building Department reviews plans and inspects home projects, and we handle permits for our part. Pick your area below or call us.
Talk to us about your retaining wall
Send photos of your slope or call (406) 309-7887, and one walk of the site shows what your ground and water call for.